From the desk of the Promotions Manager, International Promotions/Prize Award Department

Ref: OYL/26510460037/02

Batch: 24/00319/IPD

Attention: Re: Award notification; final notice

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement of winners of the Cashout Promo Lottery, The Netherlands/International Programmes, held on 18th June 2004.

You are attached to ticket number 023-0148-790-459, with serial number 5073-11, which drew the lucky numbers 43-11-44-37-10-43, and consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of $850,000 in cash, credited to file Ref No: OYL/26510460037/02. This is from total prize money of $80,400,000.00, shared among the twenty-nine international winners in this category. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe, North America and Asia as part of the international promotions programme, which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your fund is now deposited with a security firm in Amsterdam. Due to the mix-up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this programme. We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes $1.3 million international lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent for due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice:

Mr Reinhard Wood

Foreign Service Manager, Raymond Crossroad, Amsterdam

Email: reinhardw@xxxxxxxx.net

Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 30th July, 2004. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

Note: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences with your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions programme.

Sincerely,

Pieter Han

Promotions Manager, Cashout Promo Lottery, The Netherlands

NB. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result in disqualification.

Sorry for the late information. Thanks.

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Pieter Han

Subject: Is this for real?

Sent: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 14:12:41

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Han,

I have just read the email you sent me to tell me that I have just won the Dutch lottery.

I can’t believe it. Is this really true?

I do enter quite a few of these lotteries each week, but to be honest with you, I don’t remember entering this particular one.

Is this for real? Have I really won $850,000?

Please get back to me as soon as you can!

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I would like to claim my winnings

Sent: Tue, 06 Jul 2004 17:15:28

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

I turned on my computer and opened my email today and I couldn’t believe my eyes! I have received an email from your organisation telling me that I have won $850,000 on the Dutch lottery!

Is this for real? My wife and I enter quite a lot of lotteries each week, but I don’t remember entering this one. Unless it was the one where we bought the ticket on the street from the man dressed in the chicken outfit.

I really can’t believe my luck!

The email I received, from a Mr Pieter Han, told me to contact you and quote reference OYL/26510460037/02 in order to claim my winnings.

Please, Mr Wood, tell me this is for real! I have dreamed about a day like this for years!

Get back to me as soon as you can and tell me how soon I can collect my winnings.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Reinhard Wood

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Complete The Enclosed Form

Sent: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 03:43:12 +0200

Dear Mr Murray,

Thank you for your mail to notify us of your won lotto prize. Your prize will be released to you when the processing and verification is completed.

However, it should be noted that all participants were selected through a ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe, North America and Asia as part of an international promotions programme, which is conducted annually.

You are expected to complete the form attached and return the completed form by email when completed.

We will get back to you about the remittance notice of your won lottery prize money, either to your account or by cheque.

Thank you for getting back to me so quickly and for confirming that I really have won the lottery. I still can’t believe my luck! I couldn’t sleep last night for thinking about it.

I’ve printed off the form you sent me. I’m going to type it out to make sure that you can read it: I’ve got very messy handwriting. I’m not really sure what to put in the “Bank Cheque” and “Account Coordinates” sections of the form? Could you help me out please?

This is such marvellous news, Mr Wood. I’ve already started to think what I will spend the money on. I will be able to pay off a few debts, I want to buy a new car to replace my old Morris Marina, I’m going to take my wife on a round-the-world cruise… Also, my wife’s sister is in desperate need of a hip replacement, but the NHS waiting lists are huge and she can’t afford to go private. I shall use some of my winnings to pay for her to have her hip replaced privately.

Please let me know how to fill in the form as soon as you can, Mr Wood, and I will get it straight back to you.

How long do you think it will be before I can collect my winnings?

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Reinhard Wood

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Acknowledgement

Sent: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 18:15:11 +0200

Dear Mr Murray,

We are in receipt of your email. You are expected to inform us how you desire your winning to be paid to you. It is the meaning of the options mentioned in the form.

We can have your winning paid to you by cheque or it can be paid by electronic transfer to your account.

You will have to mention Yes if payment by cheque or you will have to mention in details your bank account if payment by electronic transfer.

We await your response.

Reinhard Wood

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: Thank you for your help

Sent: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 17:04:52

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Thank you for your email and for helping me to fill in the form. I have never been any good with forms or anything like that. I will fill in the form tonight and send it to you first thing in the morning.

I really am excited about all this. I haven’t told my wife yet; I want to keep it as a surprise for her. It’s been very difficult to stop myself from blurting it out, but I want to see her face when I drive home in a brand new car and give her tickets for a world cruise!

I have been thinking about what sort of car to buy when I get my winnings. I don’t want anything too flashy like a Ferrari or a Bentley. A brand new Mercedes or BMW would do me just fine. They’re far more practical than these so-called “supercars” anyway. I think I will go into town tomorrow and have a look around a few garages to see if anything catches my eye.

I still can’t believe this has happened to me: I’ve never won anything before in my life! I will get back to you as soon as I have managed to complete the form.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. Will I get to meet Dale Winton, or does someone else do your lottery?

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I have completed your form

Sent: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 09:23:49

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Please find attached your completed form. As you will see, I would like to have my winnings transferred directly into my bank account. I have put all the details onto the form.

Will there by any publicity over my lottery win? Will I get my picture in the newspaper, being handed my prize money by a big celebrity? Mind you, with this being a Dutch lottery, I suppose it would probably have to be a Dutch celebrity handing me the money. I don’t know of any Dutch celebrities... are there any?

Mind you, maybe it would be best to avoid publicity like that. I don’t want to be inundated with pathetic sob stories from a bunch of scroungers who all want a slice of my money.

I am going into town to look at some new cars today. I won’t be driving my old Morris Marina for much longer, that’s for certain! I might pop into a travel agent and have a look at a few cruises too.

Following the satisfactory verification report as regards your filled prize claim form, you are hereby notified that your winnings have been irrevocably guaranteed for payment.

Approval has therefore been granted by the management for processing your prize claim/award with our paying bank for immediate remittance to you as indicated in your prize claim form.

Be further informed that payment instructions have been forwarded to our paying bank in your favour. With the aforementioned information, you are mandatory required to notarise your award/prize money with our legal department. Document authentication and notarisation is needed to enable our legal department to complete the processing of your funds with the paying bank.

You are therefore required as a matter of urgency to make a payment of €1,850.00 (one thousand, eight hundred and fifty Euro) or its equivalent in US dollars, to our accounts department to cover the notarisation/authentication. This will enable our legal department to complete your fund’s notarisation and authentication in court and despatch your prize claim certificates and other necessary documents to you during remittance.

Note that it is never in our policy to collect payments from clients but due to the September 11th 2001 crisis in America, it has become imperative that large pay out/funds in and out of the Netherlands be notarised from the source to properly differentiate them from money-laundry/terrorist-sponsoring and drug-related funds.

This is absolutely necessary to avoid transfer delays and complications with your authorities during and after the transfer of the total winnings to your bank account in your country.

Kindly re-confirm your full CONTACT ADDRESS where you want these documents and prize claim certificates sent to you by courier to avoid loss in transit. You are therefore directed to send the above mentioned fee by Western Union money transfer to my name: Mr Martins Kevin.

In accordance with article 58 sub-section 18 of the Netherlands Lottery Commission regulations, note that your total prize claim, has been insured to its real value, hence it cannot be deducted from as an internal control measure to safeguard winners from misappropriation of funds/under-payments by our officials.

Kindly acknowledge the receipt of this message along with your full CONTACT ADDRESS with your request for the payment details and feel free to indicate if you need any further assistance.

Your total co-operation is needed for us to serve you better.

Best regards,

Reinhard Wood

Reference number: OYL/26510460037/02

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I am confused

Sent: Fri, 09 Jul 2004 17:13:41

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Thank you for getting back to me. I have to admit, I was starting to get a bit worried when I didn’t hear from you for a while.

I’m sorry, Mr Wood, but your email has confused me. Why do I have to send you money? I don’t understand. I’m sure people who win the British national lottery don’t have to pay anything out; I thought they just got sent their winnings. If they have to pay anything out, I’ve certainly never heard anything about it.

And what’s all this about money laundering, drug running and terrorism? I don’t want anything to do with that sort of thing.

Please explain, Mr Wood. I am very confused.

One part of your email that I did understand was the bit where you asked me to reconfirm my address. It’s Hemlock Cottage, Cold Harbour Lane, Gypping in the Marsh, Lincolnshire, UK. That’s where I’d like you to send my winning certificate please.

I have to say, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to keep this good news from my wife. I can’t wait to tell her!

I went into town again today and put our names down for a two month round-the-world cruise starting this September. I had to pay quite a hefty deposit, but it’s something we’ve always wanted to do, and it looks like a fantastic ship. I’ve booked us one of the first class cabin suites, with a large balcony. It should be tremendous. I could never have dreamed of having a holiday like that until this week: thank you once again, Mr Wood!

Please get back to me as soon as you can and explain matters.

When do you think I will get the money?

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Reinhard Wood

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Acknowledgement

Sent: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 11:21:25 +0200

Dear Mr Murray,

Acknowledged receipt of your message. You did not hear from me after you sent the completed form because your winning was verified and confirmed by management for payment.

Certainly, the fee you have requested to pay is not coming to me. Rather it will be used to process the notarisation/authentication of your winnings before your winnings will be paid to your account. However, it is noteworthy that your winnings be notarised from the source (the Netherlands) to properly differentiate it, that is to say that the funds are not related to money-laundry/terrorist sponsoring funds to avoid complications with your authorities during and after the transfer of winnings to your bank account in your country.

As mentioned in your message, your winning award certificate will be mailed to your contact address. When the notarisation/authentication fee is received from you, it will be picked up here and the notarisation will be completed the same day and notarised documents submitted to management. You will then be advised of the remittance of your winnings which probably will be the day after the notarisation of your winnings.

Once more, find below the name and address to which you will direct the fees by Western Union:

Name: Mr Martins Kevin

Address: Camperst 40-42 1091 AG Amsterdam

Awaiting your response.

Best regards,

Reinhard Wood

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I’ve not heard of “Western Union” before

Sent: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:42:07

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Thank you for your email. I have to say, I still don’t quite understand why I have to send you money in order to claim my winnings, but as it is such a small amount compared to the amount I have won, I’m not too worried about it.

You mention transferring the money using “Western Union”. I have not come across this “Western Union” before. How does this work?

And who is this “Martins Kevin” you want me to send the money to?

I’m so happy about my lottery win. I’ve been out spending again! I just can’t help myself now that I know I’ve got such a large amount of money coming my way. I’ve just put down a hefty deposit on a speedboat. I’ve always wanted one, and being reasonably close to the coast, it seemed like a good purchase. It will take some time for the boat to be ready: I’ve ordered one with all the extras, so it’s being built to order especially for me.

Let me know about how I go about using this “Western Union” business and I’ll transfer the money as soon as I hear back from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Reinhard Wood

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Acknowledgement

Sent: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 11:50:39 +0200

Dear Mr Murray,

I am in receipt of your email message dated 10th July 2004.

Do find some of Western Union’s agents and their locations in Lincoln, UK:

You can contact these agents at these locations for further enquiries on how you will send the notarisation/authentication fees.

Do further be informed that Mr Martins Kevin is our Accounts Officer in the Accounts Department.

Awaiting your response soon.

Best regards,

Reinhard Wood

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: Thank you for the information

Sent: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 12:16:40

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Thank you for the information regarding the Western Union agents. I had no idea all these places acted as agents for this organisation. I was in Going Places just the other day, booking the round-the-world cruise for my wife and I. If only I had known, I could have transferred the money to you there and then.

Unfortunately, I have been examining my bank statements this morning, and I have discovered that with all the money I have used to put down deposits on the sports car, the cruise and the speedboat (over £11,000 in total), I haven’t got enough money left in my account to pay your fee. Perhaps I should have thought a bit more before going out and spending all that money before I collected my winnings, but I was so excited by the news that I just couldn’t wait.

Is there any chance I could pay your fee to you after I collect my winnings? After all, I won’t be short of money then. It’s either that, or I will have to take out a bank loan.

Please advise, Mr Wood.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Reinhard Wood

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Information

Sent: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 18:18:56 +0200

Till 30th July, 2004.

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I don’t understand your last email

Sent: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 16:49:26

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

I have just received the extremely short email you just sent me.

I didn’t understand it. Did you accidentally send it before you had chance to write it?

To repeat the question I put to you in my last email, is there any chance I could pay your fee to you after I collect my winnings? Otherwise I will have to take out a bank loan, and I would rather not do that if I could avoid it.

Please get back to me as soon as possible. And try to remember to finish writing the email before you send it next time, there’s a good chap.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Reinhard Wood

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Acknowledgement

Sent: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 06:37:13 +0200

Dear Mr Murray,

Management have earlier mentioned in the notarisation notification that notarisation of your winning will be carried out and complete the notarisation of your winning before you are paid your winning. Please take note.

Best regards,

Reinhard Wood

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: Oh dear. I shall have to try and get a bank loan

Sent: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 08:13:48

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Thank you for your email, and for explaining things in your own unique way.

If I understand you correctly, I cannot collect my winnings until I have paid you your fee. Oh dear. This puts me in a bit of a sticky situation, given all the spending I have been doing over the past week.

There is nothing for it. I will have to see if I can get a bank loan to pay your fee. I will travel into town this morning and see what I can do.

I will get back to you later today.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I cannot get a bank loan

Sent: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 15:04:51

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

I had some bad news at the bank today.

I travelled into town and went to my bank to arrange a loan so that I could pay your fees. However, the bank turned me down. They said that my credit rating was not sufficient to loan me the money I needed.

The only thing I can think of doing to get your money is to pawn my wife Elizabeth’s jewellery. However, she would be dreadfully angry and upset if she found out I had done this, so I need to know that I will be able to reclaim the jewellery very quickly so that she does not find out. I will only be able to do this once I have collected my winnings.

Tell me, Mr Wood, presuming I pawn my wife’s jewellery tomorrow and send the money to your via Western Union, how soon can I expect to receive my winnings?

Please get back to me as soon as you can.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: Please answer my question

Sent: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 13:35:37

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

I am surprised not to have received a reply from you yet to my last email.

Given that my lottery win can only be claimed until the end of July, I am extremely keen to get everything sorted out, and your delays in responding are not helping matters, to be frank.

To repeat my question, how long will it take for me to receive my winnings once I have sent you your fee? I need to know this so that I can decide whether or not to pawn my wife’s jewellery in order to obtain the money I need to pay your fee.

Please get back to me by return. I am starting to get concerned.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Reinhard Wood

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Response

Sent: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 15:45:14 +0200

Mr Murray,

We are beginning to get concerned about your expressions. You will only receive your winning when this winning is notarised and it will take 48 hours to have your winning paid to you on completion of the notarisation which will take a couple of hours to have it all notarised.

Reinhard Wood

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: Thank you for getting back to me

Sent: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 15:10:32

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Thank you for getting back to me with an answer to my question. As long as it will take no longer than forty-eight hours for my winnings to be paid to me once the notarisation (whatever that is) has been completed, I should be able to get away with pawning Elizabeth’s jewellery to raise money to pay your fee. As soon as my winnings are paid into my bank account, I will be able to buy back the jewellery from the pawn shop and Elizabeth will be none the wiser.

I will just have to hope that she doesn’t want to wear any of her jewellery while it is at the pawn shop. I should be safe enough: we don’t have anything planned for the next few days.

I will travel into town first thing tomorrow morning with Elizabeth’s jewellery, pawn it, and then pay your fee at one of the Western Union agents you so helpfully told me about.

I will contact you tomorrow as soon as the fee has been paid.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I have transferred your fee to you

Sent: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 10:35:09

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

I travelled into town this morning with my wife Elizabeth’s jewellery, pawned it, and took the money straight to one of the Western Union agents you told me about.

You asked for a fee of €1,850. The Western Union agent converted this into British Pounds for me. I have therefore transferred £1,231 to Mr Kevin as you requested.

The Western Union agent told me that Mr Kevin will need the following information in order to collect the money:

Sender’s name: Gilbert Arnold Murray

Control number: 3819684492

Test question: Favourite colour?

Answer: Mauve

I do hope the money reaches Mr Kevin safely. The young lady at the Western Union agent seemed to be having some difficulty with her computer system: she told me they were having “network problems”, whatever that means, and it took her three attempts for the money transfer to go through.

Please let me know as soon as Mr Kevin has collected the money. I need to receive my winnings as soon as possible so that I can buy back Elizabeth’s jewellery before she notices that it is missing. Some of it was passed down to her by her late grandmother, and it is of great sentimental value.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: Has Mr Kevin collected the money yet?

Sent: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 13:45:52

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Has Mr Kevin collected the money I transferred to him yet?

Please let me know what is going on.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Reinhard Wood

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: Has Mr Kevin collected the money yet?

Sent: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 16:06:43 +0200

“W0131: We do not have an order with the provided information. Please verify your information and click Check Status.”

Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN): the MTCN is the 10-digit number located on your confirmation receipt.

Sender’s name:

First name:

Last name:

SO SAID THE WESTERN UNION TRACKING ORDER.

TILL 30TH JULY, 2004.

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I don’t understand your email

Sent: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 14:22:47

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

I don’t understand your email. Please try writing in sentences rather than expecting me to understand what looks like code.

Do you mean that you are having trouble accessing the money? I did mention to you that the Western Union agent appeared to be having technical problems making the transfer.

I have attached a scanned copy of the receipt the agent gave me. I suggest Mr Kevin takes this to your Western Union agent and try to resolve the problem.

We thought it will be possible to have the fee picked up today, so that the notarisation could be completed same today.

If there have been a network problem from the Western Union agent, perhaps by now that problem would have been resolved.

If the fee cannot be picked up today, Mr Kevin will have to wait till we receive confirmation from the Western Union office here.

Better still, you can confirm from the agent you made the payment for confirmation and get back to me.

Reinhard Wood

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: Problem solved

Sent: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 16:39:09

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Dear Mr Wood,

Thank you for your email. I was disturbed to hear that Mr Kevin has not been able to collect the money I transferred to him.

As soon as I heard this, I contacted my local Western Union agent to find out if there was a problem. I insisted on speaking to the Manager. The agent told me that Western Union have indeed been having some problems with their computer network in the UK for the past couple of days. Apparently they have installed some new web-based software and they are having what the agent called “teething troubles”. I mentioned earlier that the agent was experiencing some difficulty when she transferred my money. The agent told me that my transfer had got “stuck” in the system.

The agent immediately contacted the Western Union network routing centre, and assured me that the problem has now been sorted out, so Mr Kevin should now be able to collect the money from his local agent. She also warned me that because of the continuing problems with their web-based software, details of the transfer would not show up on the Western Union website immediately. However, if she assured me that if Mr Kevin visits his local agent in person, the transfer will show up on their system in the office and Mr Kevin will be able to collect the money.

Please accept my apologies for this problem, Mr Wood. However, as I am sure you can appreciate, the problem has been caused by Western Union, not by me.

Please let me know as soon as Mr Kevin has collected the money.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: What is going on?

Sent: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 18:57:28

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Mr Wood,

What is going on, for God’s sake? Has Mr Kevin collected the money I transferred to him yet?

Get back to me immediately, man. My winnings are at stake here.

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: Get back to me at once

Sent: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 10:44:28

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Mr Wood,

What is the reason for your silence, man? I must know what is going on.

I need to reclaim Elizabeth’s jewellery back from the pawnbroker as soon as possible. If you do not get back to me by return, I will have no option but to cancel the Western Union transfer I made to Mr Kevin and forget about this whole business.

Get back to me at once, do you hear? At once, I say.

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Reinhard Wood

Subject: I have had enough of your timewasting

Sent: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 14:59:09

Re: OYL/26510460037/02

Mr Wood,

I have had enough of your timewasting. As I warned you, I have gone back to the Western Union agent and cancelled the money transfer I made.

To be perfectly honest with you, I have been starting to doubt the validity of this entire lottery. I am certain that I did not buy a ticket in the first place, and when I examined my winning numbers, I found that the number 43 appears to have been drawn twice.

Lotteries usually only have one ball of each number, not two, so to win with two number 43s is highly irregular.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that your lottery is a load of balls. And you are certainly not a patch on Dale Winton.